The Development of Custom Jewelry Design
Historical Perspective
For thousands of years mankind has been accompanied by adornment. In every civilization from Mesopotamia to modern Europe, it has meant something more than beauty. It has denoted some individuality, some belief, some feeling. Gold stood for eternity, stones for power, and personal adornment was in many instances of spiritual or of familial significance. The notion of making ornaments especially for an individual, however, was developed much later.
The custom of individual craft work was born in the Renaissance, when individual patrons began to go to jewelers and ask them to produce designs that were individually theirs, as opposed to reproducing forms that were more or less generally accepted. This tradition of personalization was gradually modified with the development of industrial and digital techniques until finally we have what is today known as custom jewelry design and how custom jewelry is made.
Principles of Custom Jewelry
Custom jewelry is the aesthetic creation of personal background. The mode of operations starts with an understanding, not merely of the beauty sense of the client but of what he or she wishes to express in feeling. Each design is an expression of thought in terms of matter.
Technically, the custom jewelry process involves a succession of arts, such as sketching, digital modeling in three dimensions, casting, finishing metals, and setting stones. These various arts are harmonious in character. Custom jewelry is made only once, and the design, proportions, and arrangement of the stones in the various works are established for one purpose, be it to symbolize a pledge, a memory of the past, or an individuality.
Materials and Processes
Gold and platinum continue to hold sway as the metals of choice for upper-crust jewelry because of their durability, malleability, and resistance to tarnish. The density of platinum allows for secure holding of stones, while the flexibility of gold allows infinite combinations of color and alloy. Many clients today prefer custom gold rings or platinum engagement rings, which combine timeless materials with personalized design.
The skills of contemporary jewelry artisans include both the ancient methods of designing in wax and designing with the help of modern technology, such as three-dimensional modeling and laser engraving. These skills guarantee adherence to the original concept and durable design. The ethical sourcing of materials has also come front and center for the industry. Materials obtained from sources can be traced to the mine which produced them, where they were acquired for use. Recycled metals are also not a passing phase, but a mainstay of twenty-first-century craftsmanship.
Redesign and Transformation
One increasingly popular aspect of the craft is the remodeling of jewelry. The remodeling of a piece into a new piece, such as rings into pendants or the reworking of inherited diamonds into new modern designs, preserves that emotional or family connection without compromising its style. The remodeling aspect of crafts is indicative of the contemporary emphasis on sustainability and sentiment, ensuring that which meant so much in its previous form will continue to have meaning in its remodeled form. Today, many clients are also interested in custom jewelry redesign, giving new life to treasured heirlooms.
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Olertis: A Tradition of Fine Custom Workmanship
The company Olertis was started in 1986, and it is one of the enduring studios devoted exclusively to the creation of fine custom jewelry. From its earliest days, the company has been enunciating the same principle: It is the belief that each customer deserves a piece of jewelry designed and worked for them to the exclusion of others. In spite of the highly competitive jewelry market, Olertis continues to specialize in the use of gold and platinum, which are chosen not for fashion, but for long life and the inherent characteristics of metals that exhibit quality. Each piece is built up on an entirely individual and exclusive basis, from the original design to the final polish, following the sketch of the designer until the general public sees it.
Olertis has more than 3,500 clients in a customer base that has been in existence for almost four decades. The work of the company has run the gamut in the field of fine art pieces, from wedding rings to heirloom pieces furnishing these families. Designs have been treated as manuscripts recording personal life history instead of commercial goods. The company uses modern three-dimensional modeling in conjunction with the ancient methods of jewelry making, ensuring accurate work yet not removing the sense of the hand-made, artistic quality from their work. The art of modern jewelers consists of combining both technical and interpretive qualities in the conception of the work. Personal meanings can be expressed and made of lasting strength. Well received, the company continues to build its reputation through consistent craftsmanship.
Olertis has also attracted notice for the work it accomplishes in the way of transformation and redesign. It is capable of taking older heirloom or family pieces and remodeling them into modern designs. All materials are taken from ethical sources, verifiable sources either at the beginning of the jewelry design conception or in the actual metals used. The company conforms to the standards set down for modern sustainability and, artistically, the old-world standard of workmanship is maintained. Olertis has slowly established itself as a company not so much for retailing purposes, but as a custodian of personal craftsmanship — a collection repository for personal expressions, memories, and ideas, the fusion resulting in tangible works of art.
